Hot breath, quick exit: aphids flee mammalian heat via TRPA1

Animals have developed scent-triggered avoidance for threat evasion and survival. Here, we found that aphids exhibit a unique heat-guided herbivore-avoidance mechanism. We identified the TRP channel ApisTRPA1 in Acyrthosiphon pisum as a key receptor for sensing rapid temperature increases. Two isoforms of ApisTRPA1, ApisTRPA1-A and ApisTRPA1-B, are both expressed in neurons located in the primary rhinaria, which are essential for acute heat detection. Among them, ApisTRPA1-B exhibits a stronger response to temperature gradients. These findings shed light on aphid physiological adaptations to thermal cues and may inform the development of eco-friendly aphid management strategies.